Aardwolf

Hiya Folks,
I'm considering cycling during the winter months in London, it's started early this year: 'feels like' -3C currently according to the forecast.

Usually I stop when it goes below about 4C (39 F) but that's mainly because my cold weather gear is a cotton shirt + gillet + fleece.
So I'm thinking I need a thermal base layer and TSLA thermal long sleeve compresion shirt looks quite good for £22
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TSLA-Therma...ef=sr_1_9?th=1

But they come in 2 neck styles:

'Mock'


and 'Face Cover' or turtleneck (for £2 more)




So has anybody tried the turtleneck and does it actually stop the wind chill on your face ?

Cheers, Gareth.

Oldsledz

I use a helmet liner mask made for snowmobiling, it will cover your neck also.

rm -rf

Neck Gaiters!
example: REI wool
This thin tube of wool or synthetic works great. It protects my neck all the way around.
Very cold weather: I can pull it over my nose, and the base of my ears (my cap protects the rest of my ears. I can breathe right through the fabric (it can eventually get a bit wet there, but that's not bad.) Or pull it down to my chin.
Getting warmer during the ride: I can scrunch it down near the jacket collar for ventilation, or remove it and roll it up. On hilly rides, I'm pulling it up for downhills, shoving it down for climbs.

Warm base layers are more practical than the turtleneck versions. I can wear a regular base layer under a shirt for cool/cold walks, or indoors. The neck gaiter is only needed when it's colder. And can be taken off if the day warms up a lot.

I see cheaper versions at the big box stores.

A very thin jacket is good. My Pearl Izumi bike jacket is somewhat breathable so I don't get too sweaty, but blocks the cold wind very well. I stack some thin or medium base layers under it, depending on the temperature.

Face protection:

Trakhak

Neck gaiters are great. I got caught in over an hour of 41-degree F pelting rain on my ride yesterday. Pretty uncomfortable, since I wasn't dressed for it (non-rain-proof jacket and tights), but my neck gaiter kept me more comfortable than I would otherwise have been, although it's made of synthetic material. It actually stayed warm on my neck, despite being nearly soaked through. I can't imagine wool working any better.

Aardwolf

Thanks for the ideas, I hadn't seen those items.

Helmet liners seem like a reasonable idea,
but not sure the top of my head is going to get cold - I've still got a lot of hair (mullet style since covid lockdown).
I may well change my tune when I have more experience.

Neck gaiters seems like the 'professional way' to do this, but I think the turtleneck sort of covers that.

My main concerns with the turtleneck are
1) does it actually shield the face properly when pulled up
2) when it's retracted is it too bulky so it gets in the way.

It may well be the only way to answer this is to try one.
I could always wear it to the pub.

wolfchild

Balaclava works perfect for shielding face and neck.

Aardwolf

Thanks everybody, I went ahead and ordered the turtleneck style - worth a try for £24.
I'll provide feedback when I've tried it.

pdlamb

OBE, perhaps. But how do you keep your head warm? Ear warmers, skull cap usually work for me down to about -5C. A Buff (neck gaiter) helps with wind and rain (does it rain there?). And if you're riding when it gets Really Cold (which I define as below -3 to -5C), a balaclava works great.

I'm not sure how the economics works out, but one advantage of the stand-alone warmers is that they can be worn several days in a row, or rinsed out and dried overnight. If you're commuting, for example, over several years, the convenience is worth the trivial cost per ride amortized over that period.

Aardwolf

I'm entirely a recreational rider with a bit of fitness thrown in.
So I normally only go out if it's at least trying to be sunny, and will only wear the cold weather gear for 2-4 hours at a time.

I just received the turtleneck and at least it fits, and the neck is sufficiently non bulky that I can zip my normal gillet up at the throat.
Now I just need some sunshine to try it out.

It may well be that I need something better later, particularly If I decide to ride when it's really cold, but it's a decent start anyway.

rumrunn6

zip neck is best. gotta vent!

_ForceD_

+1 for the balaclava.

Dan

Alan K

At or above freezing balaclava may not be necessary but if you opt for one, get the type that is relatively thin and stretchable so you can easily lower it a little if you start getting too warm as you paddle.
Using a head cover under the helmet that covers your ears will be good (doesn’t have to be thick).
At and about 5 C below freezing, I switch to helmets that are used for skiing (include ear covers) but you wouldn’t need that.
Be safe and have fun!

Aardwolf

Tried the top today in 'feels like 3C' for 21 miles.
It seems fine and I wasn't exactly warm, but I wasn't cold either.

The main issue I found was if I pull it up over my nose my safety glasses steam up.
I mainly had it pulled up at sides and back and just over the chin at the front.

My safety glasses are Uvex clear polycarbonate so pretty generic
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...NZE?th=1&psc=1
The reviews do mention some winter fogging issues though.

79pmooney

Do you wear glasses? Many of us glasses uses find that covering the mouth or nostrils = fogged glasses. In my early adult days I commuted in up to -5F (-21C). Always kept my face bare and never frostbit. (That -5F was only the first 3 miles. Then up hill and into somewhat warmer Boston. But still, way below freezing.)

Edit: Funny, you answered my question just before I asked it.

Aardwolf

Apparently soap may solve the problem
https://www.lookoptical.com/how-to-p...-glasses-2020/

Soap and Water Help Prevent Fogging

This trick is one that healthcare professionals regularly turn to. All you need for this hack is soapy water (dish soap works best) and a microfiber cloth. Stay away from soaps with lotions in them as they can leave a thick residue, making it even harder to see.

Simply rub both sides of your lenses with a drop of soap, then buff the lenses with a soft microfiber cloth. This effective trick helps prevent your lenses from fogging up as a transparent, thin film of soap acts as a barrier.

edit 1: So what happens if it rains ?
edit 2: There's even some real research: https://www.vha.ca/research/safer-te...s-and-goggles/

79pmooney

My experience is that any film I put on my glasses smears if I have to wipe the glass/plastic with my finger. OK, you say. Just don't. But in cold weather stuff happens. I have found it necessary to wipe to see what's in front of me, like right now!

Try the soap, But bring some clean cotton you can wipe it all off with just n case.